What is the role of media in today's connected world. Some would say to enlighten and inform, but look behind the curtain and you will find a more sinister purpose. Press freedom, freedom of thought, people use those terms when they describe countries like the United States, Australia, or France.
This video provides a different view and takes the position that those in power use the megaphone of media to tell us what they need to tell us so that we can fall in line. In this view media operates as a propaganda machine, and control output through five filters.
Media outlets are part of large corporations and their endgame is quite simply profit. It is in their interest to push for whatever guarantees the maximum profit and critical journalism is not profitable. If you want to challenge power you will be pushed to the margins. You will lose your access to stories and interviews. When a story appears that is inconvenient for the powers that be you will see the media machine make every effort to discredit the story, and even question the patriotism of it's authors.
The last part of manufacturing consent involves a boogie man, creating something to fear something to fear. This common enemy helps draws attention away from other issues and helps corral public opinion. Think this strategy doesn't work? Think of all the people who won't read a story because they know the author is liberal. The reverse is also true. Consider all the people who won't read a story because the author is a known conservative. Depending on your ideology, the bogeyman is either liberal or conservative.